Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama has canceled a visit to Moscow next month for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an administration official told CNN on Wednesday.

The move follows Russia's decision to grant asylum to classified leaker Edward Snowden, who had been holed up for weeks in the international transit zone of Moscow's airport since fleeing the United States for Hong Kong and then Russia.

soundoff(20 Responses)

My hat off to Pres. Obama. If leader to leader have failed to agree by talking through phones, let actions take place. Bravo!

August 7, 2013 09:39 am at 9:39 am |

Carly

I would have preferred the President allow Putin to make a bigger fool of himself. Darn!!! Was looking forward to more absurd remarks and photos. Putin is having a midlife crisis and it is so much fun to watch. Cialis anyone???

August 7, 2013 09:43 am at 9:43 am |

Rudy NYC

Not talking is never good. I think they should have told Putin that he will be talking to Biden or Kerry, instead of Obama.

August 7, 2013 09:49 am at 9:49 am |

Italmn

Good !!! Glad to hear it.

August 7, 2013 09:59 am at 9:59 am |

Data Driven

Well, I guess the utility was considered and not one bleep was given.

The weather won't be all that's chilly at the actual G20 summit in St. Petersburg.

It's like old times.

August 7, 2013 10:02 am at 10:02 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

"Ah,yeah, Puts? I ain't coming. How's Skippy doing by the by?'.

August 7, 2013 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Dixie

This is not going to help get what you want Mr. Obama. You have to talk to people to get them to understand your point of view and you to understand theirs. This is what is wrong with the administration at home and around the world.

August 7, 2013 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Russia's leaders have a proclivity for slipping into a Cold War mindset, Obama said
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In other words Puts,curb your swerve.

August 7, 2013 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Way to roll Mr. President!!
Way to Roll!!!!

August 7, 2013 10:18 am at 10:18 am |

A True Conservative

Ha, ha, ha.....way to roll? Let me guess, you still see Obama as the man who will once again elevate the standing of his country on the world stage.....Putin is playing Obama like a cheap violin......Obama is falling flat on his face in foreign policy as well as economic policy. Everyone points to the stock market and the unemployment rat as "proof" that Obama is doing the right things. Just wait until QE3 ends....watch the markets then. The unemployment rate is down because fewer people are even bothering to look for a job. A smaller percentage of working age adults are in the workforce than since the great depression......and every month it gets worse....wake up people!

August 7, 2013 10:38 am at 10:38 am |

ST

@ Rudy NYC
I beg to disagree with you. If Putin ignored the leader whom they are on same level, what can you expect him talking to Biden or Kerry?

@ Dixie
I hope you are aware that Pres. Obama has talked with Putin several times especially on the issue of Snowden. The man ignored him. What else the President could have done? There are people who can only hear through actions. Putin seems to be one of them.

August 7, 2013 10:39 am at 10:39 am |

Data Driven

"Putin is playing Obama like a cheap violin"

Prove?

August 7, 2013 10:49 am at 10:49 am |

Nice

Ok, that makes a lot of sense. NOT. If we had a russian defector would we hand him back. NO! Be real.

August 7, 2013 10:52 am at 10:52 am |

The Real Tom Paine

-A True Conservative

Ha, ha, ha.....way to roll? Let me guess, you still see Obama as the man who will once again elevate the standing of his country on the world stage.....Putin is playing Obama like a cheap violin......Obama is falling flat on his face in foreign policy as well as economic policy. Everyone points to the stock market and the unemployment rat as "proof" that Obama is doing the right things. Just wait until QE3 ends....watch the markets then. The unemployment rate is down because fewer people are even bothering to look for a job. A smaller percentage of working age adults are in the workforce than since the great depression......and every month it gets worse....wake up people!
**************************************
Wow, the world held us in such high esteem when the GOP controlled every branch of government, didn't they? Largely unilateral action in Iraq got us bogged down there and virtually everywhere else around the world, remember? And I doubt anyone thinks of the Bush 43 years as a Golden Age economically, since virtually everyone seems to look back at the Clinton years with such fondness and skip over the people that cut taxes in wartime and put the economy into the abyss. It will take years to undo the damage done by the wilfull neglect of the GOP, an abandonment of responsibility the GOP actually takes pride in.

August 7, 2013 10:53 am at 10:53 am |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Just wait until QE3 ends....watch the markets then
-------------------------------------------------
Don't you get tired of getting on your knees and praying for things to go wrong with our country, economy, stocks, etc, just so that you can say " I told you so?".
What kind of piss poor, sore losing, hateful Americans are you and others like you on this thread that will NEVER be happy with positive trends but pray for the destruction of our country and it's economy?
If it's good it's bad as far as you're concerned.
Find your happy place.

August 7, 2013 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

Tony

A true conservative, Obama knows from dealing with Republicans the last 5 years that there is no point talking to people who have nothing to offer.

August 7, 2013 11:04 am at 11:04 am |

Thomas

Russian President Vladimir Putin once wrestled a 30 ft Anaconda , the next day he was seen riding a 20 ft crocodile .

He is as manly as Steven Seagal in the movie Pistol Whipped .

August 7, 2013 11:12 am at 11:12 am |

Rudy NYC

ST wrote:

@ Rudy NYC – I beg to disagree with you. If Putin ignored the leader whom they are on same level, what can you expect him talking to Biden or Kerry?
-----------------
You've missed the point, and I have no idea of what you're talking about. Here, I'll explain it to you.

When Putin sits down to talk to the U.S., protocol says that he should speak to someone of equal rank. Sitting him down with someone of lower rank is an insult, big time. It would marginanlize him. Under those circumstances, I would expect HIM to be the party that cancels out. Do you understand it, now?

August 7, 2013 11:20 am at 11:20 am |

Rudy NYC

ST wrote:

@ Dixie – I hope you are aware that Pres. Obama has talked with Putin several times especially on the issue of Snowden. The man ignored him. What else the President could have done? There are people who can only hear through actions. Putin seems to be one of them.
---------------–
Obama has spoken to Putin several times about Snowden?
You don't know that from a whole in the gorund. Stop listening to right wing media.